Drakehood
by PapillonStar
Summary: It's Nosedive's b-day...a special one, too!


Hey, I'm back! Yes, I know I'm supposed to be finishing Only Second Best. I'll work on that, I promise! Only one chapter left! You wouldn't believe how HAPPY I am!!!!!!

Disclaimer: I don't own Mighty Ducks. (Simple, ain't it?)

Drakehood

            Nosedive opened his eyes. The green digits from the clock on the other side of the wall softly gave the only light in the dark room. 9:34. He tried to roll over and fall back asleep, but he wasn't tired anymore. He sighed and rolled out of his bunk. _I used to be able to sleep til one_…he thought to himself. _Guess Earth has caught up to me finally_. True it didn't take five years to adjust his sleep patterns, but he liked to think it had.

            "Wow…five years…" he said out loud to no one in particular. It was still hard to believe this strange planet had been his home for half a decade. Dragonus was gone, but so was his dimensional gateway. Tanya had spent the last three years trying to rebuild it. Although it had seemed hopeless, Nosedive knew he would see Puckworld again before he died.

            Out of all the Ducks, five years had changed Nosedive the most. He had matured, as much as he hated to admit it. But maturity could never destroy Dive's personality, so he was still as goofy and carefree as ever. He was still very thin, but not as wiry as he used to be. He was also a good three inches taller. He could almost look Wildwing in the eye. He had given in and cut his hair-it was now straight and came down to his ears. He kept his battle patch, though.

            Dive pulled his jersey over his green full-body battle suit and headed for the kitchen.

            Wildwing entered the room and saw his younger brother eating breakfast. "Mornin' bro. Sleep well?"

            "Mmmf…" mumbled Dive, shrugging.

            "Wonderful." Wing pulled out a chair and swung it around and sat down in it backwards. "Remember what day today is?"

            Nosedive drank the milk out of his empty cereal bowl. "Duh!" he said, getting up. "Like I'd forget my birthday…" He dropped the bowl in the sink. The Ducks kept a Puckworld calendar around to make up for the orbital difference between Earth and Puckworld. The Ducks' birthdays never fell on the same date, but Nosedive's always came sometime in March.

            "Not just any birthday…" said Wing as Dive plopped back down in his chair. 

            "Yea, my DuCainian birthday," Dive replied. Every Ducks' twentieth birthday was the DuCainian birthday. It was a coming-of-age day, were teenagers became adults.

            "Boy, you're sure thrilled…" said Wing with a laugh. He dug around in his cargo-pants pocket and pulled out a box. "Happy Birthday, Dive…" he said, sliding the box over.

            Dive caught it. He pulled the string off and removed the lid (Puckworlders don't wrap their gifts). "Whoa…it's a…a…" Nosedive was having trouble forming words.

            It was a necklace. It was a gold chain with a gold charm. The charm was the size of a quarter. It was the Mighty Ducks logo. On the back it said "Nosedive" in fancy letters.

            "My…own…trinket…" he said slowly. Every Duck received a special piece of jewelry when the turned twenty. Males got necklaces, females got rings.

            "Welcome to Drakehood, Dive," said Wildwing. Dive could only nod. For years he admired his brother's trinket, waiting impatiently for the day when he would receive his own. He also admired Duke and Grin's, feeling left out because he didn't have his own. But now he did.

            "Thanks…Wing…" he said, still in disbelief. 

            "No problem, Dive. Happy Ducainian," said Wing, smiling.

            The door slid open and the rest of the team came in. "Happy DuCainian, Nosedive!" said Mallory. Duke blew a party horn.

            "Thanks, guys," said Dive, still holding the box.

            "Whatcha got there?" asked Duke, leaning over Dive's shoulder. "Ooh! A trinket! Congratulations, Dive. I remember when I got mine. Boy, that was a while back…I'll be right back." He turned to retrieve his own trinket.

            "I wanna see!" said Mallory, coming over. "Oh, I like that! It's the logo!"

            "Great idea, Wing!" said Tanya.

            "Congratulations, little friend," said Grin. "Your journey was a successful one."

            "Thanks, Grin," replied Dive.

            Mallory pulled a necklace out from her shirt. It was a gold ring on a chain. "I remember getting my trinket. This is a special day, Nosedive." She held it out for Dive to see. It was a gold band with flames carved all around it. The on the inside "Mallory" was engraved in pretty letters.

            Tanya showed her ring off, too. It was gold, too, and had an eight-pointed star carved on it (the Duck symbol for knowledge).

            Grin's charm was an ancient rune that translated to "honor". Duke's was a gold sword charm. Wildwing's was a gold goalie mask (how ironic).

            Nosedive smiled and looked at his team's logo. The trinkets were supposed to reflect something about each Duck. "But why the logo?" he asked his brother.

            "Well, you joining the Resistance was and will always be an important part of your life. I guess this symbolizes it," Wildwing explained.

            "Wow. Thanks, bro," Dive said. He put the chain around his neck. Wing was right. This team was a major part of his life. He was glad to be part of it. Earth was his home, now, and the team his family. He took in a deep breath. He was about to begin a new stage of his life. _Hoo boy..._ he thought to himself.


End file.
